Restoring dignity and renewing purpose for women in India’s rural communities.
The status of women in India has been an issue of great concern, and IMI works to empower women, restoring their dignity and renewing their purpose in life.
IMI runs a Tailoring Centre in Alamathi, Chennai with the aim of empowering young girls and women from surrounding villages. The husbands of these women are daily wage labourers or shepherds — and as is customary in the community, women are not allowed to go outside their villages to work.
Women attend half-day classes in batches of 20–25, learning both theory and practical aspects of tailoring — from children’s clothes to adult wear. In addition, they are taught life skills and moral values for day-to-day living.
On seeing the confidence these women have gained, the community has not only accepted this initiative but is also enthusiastic about seeing it develop further. IMI plans to expand into a self-sustainable project, offering jobs to women who have completed the course and starting a garment production unit in the area.
In Malini’s village near Alamathi, once a girl is married she is confined to her household. The tailoring programme gave Malini skills, confidence, and a source of income within her community.